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Marginal North Dublin Seats Deciding the Future of Dublin Airport

Posted on: May 11th, 2005

A serious aspect of this matter is that what is happening is unknown to Members of this House. We should debate this issue now and not next week or the week after when a deal has been cooked up between politicians, trade unions and other businesses. If we debate this after an agreement is made we will be talking to an empty audience because we will not be able to affect it.

I ask the Leader to request the Taoiseach to come to this House, debate the issue and answer questions about what is happening. Other Senators would also welcome such a debate. The Taoiseach is pulling the strings on the Aer Rianta-Aer Lingus deal. We should not have statements because everyone in this house knows that statements are a cop-out.

Nor should we have statements with the Minister after the event. It is a serious situation because the future of Dublin Airport is not based on the effect on future generations on this country, but on half a dozen seats in north Dublin. It is a scandal that is the deciding factor in the issue.